Take Care of Others by Taking Care of What God Provides
Word-Of-The-Day: ‘I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.’ (Psalms 37:25); ‘Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.’ (1 Timothy 5:8)
Psalms 37 is a ‘didactic’ or teaching psalm on wisdom. David wrote this psalm to help stave off the thought that people often have that the wicked or lost become enriched and the righteous are often left with the leftovers. This perception is of course not true; many of the lost are impoverished and many Christians are blessed and enriched, and vice versa. Paul wrote his first Epistle to Timothy as a ‘how-to’ instruction manual for Timothy (and us) to ‘do’ Church and Christian life. Psalms 37:25 and 1 Timothy 5:18 tells (in differing angles) that God’s provisions are for us to care not only for ourselves but others.
The Lord provides for us all things that we temporarily possess. I say temporarily as we really do not possess anything; God possesses all things and allows us to use these things as needed in the time allotted us. David recognized that throughout his life, God provided for those people and families who worshipped Him. I don’t doubt that there are Righteous families that do need food, clothing and other needs (and even Righteous people must ask for help), but God provides the resources in some form or fashion.
It may not be directly into the family’s hands, but it is often through members of the Christian community that is then given to the family in need. In a ‘local’ context, we have had food drives in MBC, where the congregation provides canned and boxed goods for holiday meals, or with external charities such as Jesus-Loves-You Ministry where the churches in the area give to provide food and services to the homeless. God provides in His way, either directly or indirectly, to His people.
It is good to give for others, but Paul implores that we need to also ensure the proper care for our own families, even ourselves. We cannot take for granted our own households, and that includes the provisions God gives us. We all look past little things that crop up now and again (like weeds around the house) but eventually we need to take the time to take care of that which the Lord has provided us. If our cars are not kept up in routine maintenance, the wear and tear will cause them to break down without warning.
If your loved ones (wife and children) are in the car when it breaks down away from home, in the 110-degree ‘feels-like’ heat we’ve been having, and its due to not checking the oil or ensuring there is air in the tires, you have put them in a bad situation (especially if they don’t have water with them). Weeds around the house, in time, can grow to where a home’s foundation can be compromised if the roots get into the cracks and start breaking down the concrete. (Trees and shrubs can be worse.) To take care of your family you have to take care of what God provides for you and your family.
This is way, even in the midst of caring for others, we need to take care of ourselves, our family and our gifts that God has given us (like our homes and cars). In the long run, it helps us in caring for others. In ensuring our home had new windows and a new roof, we were able to take in people to provide them shelter during Hurricane Ian. If we stock up goods in preparation to take care of our families and loved ones (BE PREPARED, BE AWARE, PLAN ACCORDINGLY), I have the ability to give out the excess when we have a food drive for those in need, or to a neighbor who is undergoing a rough time in their lives. Care for what the Lord provides, and care for those around you with what you can share out of what the Lord provides you.
